Today as 2022 comes to an end, let us take some time to reflect if we have been witnesses to the light of Christ in our lives; for family, friends, community, ministry, colleagues and the rest of the world.

Have we spoken His peace, love, word and truth? Such that it changed the atmosphere and brough His peace in difficult and challenging situations?

Have we prophesied over the lives of our brethren to share His thoughts and the joy He has for them? Sharing just how much He loves them and He has wonderful plans for them?

Have we prayed for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit into the lives of His flock and guided them into a deeper relationship with the Lord our God?

Have we brought the joy of knowing the Lord to unbelievers by loving them into His Kingdom?

Have whatever we said and done in His name bore witness to the light of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?

As we enter into the new year, let us not cling to what we have failed to do or on any other shortcomings we may have. Instead let us rejoice that God our loving Father loves us all with an endearing love. Let us begin 2023 with a renewal of mind, that we are His children so loved by Him and that we are empowered to make a great difference in the lives of everyone we meet as light bearers of Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Blessed New Year!

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First reading

1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One

Children, these are the last days;

you were told that an Antichrist must come,

and now several antichrists have already appeared;

we know from this that these are the last days.

Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;

if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;

but they left us, to prove that not one of them

ever belonged to us.

But you have been anointed by the Holy One,

and have all received the knowledge.

It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you

but rather because you know it already

and know that no lie can come from the truth.

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Gospel

John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

In the beginning was the Word:

and the Word was with God

and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things came to be,

not one thing had its being but through him.

All that came to be had life in him

and that life was the light of men,

a light that shines in the dark,

a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.

His name was John.

He came as a witness,

as a witness to speak for the light,

so that everyone might believe through him.

He was not the light,

only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light

that enlightens all men;

and he was coming into the world.

He was in the world

that had its being through him,

and the world did not know him.

He came to his own domain

and his own people did not accept him.

But to all who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God,

to all who believe in the name of him

who was born not out of human stock

or urge of the flesh

or will of man

but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,

he lived among us,

and we saw his glory,

the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:

‘This is the one of whom I said:

He who comes after me ranks before me

because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –

yes, grace in return for grace,

since, though the Law was given through Moses,

grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God;

it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,

who has made him known.

On this day of the feast of the Holy Family, it is only fitting that we dwell on God our Father’s great love for each and everyone of us. Being obedient unto Him and faithful we see just how Blessed we are. He has kept us free from all evil and harm and we thrive in living our lives to the full through our His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

That loving exchange of love between God our Father and us, must naturally flow down to love of parents, then of our children and our brethren. If we say that we honour God our Father can we then say we do not honour our father and mother. We all do not have perfect parents but nonetheless we are called to honour and love them just the same. Not just in their presence but even when we are not alongside them in our thoughts, words and actions.

Just as children see and learn from the words and actions of their parents, let us turn to the Holy Family for guidance how we should live together as one family in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen

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First reading

Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6,12-14 ·

He who fears the Lord respects his parents

The Lord honours the father in his children,

    and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons.

Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins,

    he who honours his mother is like someone amassing a fortune.

Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own,

    he shall be heard on the day when he prays.

Long life comes to him who honours his father,

    he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord.

My son, support your father in his old age,

    do not grieve him during his life.

Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy,

    do not despise him in your health and strength;

for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten

    but will serve as reparation for your sins.

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Gospel

Matthew 2:13-15,19-23

The flight into Egypt and the return to Nazareth

After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

I called my son out of Egypt.

After Herod’s death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled:

‘He will be called a Nazarene.’

Am I living in the light of Christ? Am I a beacon of His light in the world?

Dwelling deeply on this question I have to ask myself…

Am I quick to forgive? Do I act humbly and mercifully in all situations?

To those that I have wronged, have I sought forgiveness from be it family, colleagues, community, church and others?

Have I been an instrument of His peace, love and joy?

In short have I loved as my Lord commanded me to love?

Lord Jesus let me a guiding light for my brethren in the world. Bless and keep me in Your loving embrace and protect me from all evil. So that my light may shine brightly for You. Amen

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First reading

1 John 2:3-11 ·

We can be sure that we know God

only by keeping his commandments.

Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,

and does not keep his commandments,

is a liar,

refusing to admit the truth.

But when anyone does obey what he has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

We can be sure that we are in God

only when the one who claims to be living in him

is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.

My dear people,

this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you,

but an old commandment

that you were given from the beginning,

the original commandment which was the message brought to you.

Yet in another way, what I am writing to you,

and what is being carried out in your lives as it was in his,

is a new commandment;

because the night is over

and the real light is already shining.

Anyone who claims to be in the light

but hates his brother

is still in the dark.

But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light

and need not be afraid of stumbling;

unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness,

not knowing where he is going,

because it is too dark to see.

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Gospel

Luke 2:22-35

‘You have prepared a light to enlighten the pagans’

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,

just as you promised;

because my eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared for all the nations to see,

a light to enlighten the pagans

and the glory of your people Israel.’

As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’

There are still many unsung heroes of our faith, babes, children even adults who are slaughtered for holding on to their faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Their martyrdom is hidden from the eyes of the world.

What about abortion? If we dwell on the truth that Lord our God is the author of life itself how can we ever condone abortion? Are they not holy innocents?

Let us offer up our sins and the sins of the world; let us pray that the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord purifies us all. Blessed mother pray for us…

Hail, Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

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First reading

1 John 1:5-2:2 ·

This is what we have heard from Jesus Christ,

and the message that we are announcing to you:

God is light; there is no darkness in him at all.

If we say that we are in union with God

while we are living in darkness,

we are lying because we are not living the truth.

But if we live our lives in the light,

as he is in the light,

we are in union with one another,

and the blood of Jesus, his Son,

purifies us from all sin.

If we say we have no sin in us,

we are deceiving ourselves

and refusing to admit the truth;

but if we acknowledge our sins,

then God who is faithful and just

will forgive our sins and purify us

from everything that is wrong.

To say that we have never sinned

is to call God a liar

and to show that his word is not in us.

I am writing this, my children,

to stop you sinning;

but if anyone should sin,

we have our advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ, who is just;

he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away,

and not only ours,

but the whole world’s.

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Gospel

Matthew 2:13-18

The massacre of the innocents

After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

I called my son out of Egypt.

Herod was furious when he realised that he had been outwitted by the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or under, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. It was then that the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled:

A voice was heard in Ramah,

sobbing and loudly lamenting:

it was Rachel weeping for her children,

refusing to be comforted because they were no more.

He saw and he believed!

What did he see? Linen cloths and the cloth that was wrapped on Jesus’s head. With all His heart he believed…What did he believe? In the resurrection of His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

We are given the opportunity of seeing the Risen Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Do we see and believe?

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe John 20:-29

Lord I believe and trust in You Amen

Saint John pray for us…

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First reading

1 John 1:1-4 ·

The Word, who is life – this is our subject

Something which has existed since the beginning,

that we have heard,

and we have seen with our own eyes;

that we have watched

and touched with our hands:

the Word, who is life –

this is our subject.

That life was made visible:

we saw it and we are giving our testimony,

telling you of the eternal life

which was with the Father and has been made visible to us.

What we have seen and heard

we are telling you

so that you too may be in union with us,

as we are in union

with the Father

and with his Son Jesus Christ.

We are writing this to you to make our own joy complete.

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Gospel

John 20:2-8

The other disciple saw, and he believed

On the first day of the week Mary of Magdala came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’

    So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed.

Why are the readings on the first day after Christmas about St Stephen’s martyrdom? Perhaps it is a sobering message to stay awake after the joyous celebration of remembering that Christ was born for us to dispel all darkness by the light of His life, death and Resurrection!

That we who have encountered Christ would gladly lay down our lives for Him and brethren to rise again with and in Him. Many define self-control as the ability to say no to all the distractions that come our way in life. While this may be true to a certain extent, St Stephen shows us that this virtue is saying Yes to Christ so completely that we have nothing left to give in to distractions. Filled with the Holy Spirit we too shall see Heaven, and through His grace and power we shall begin to work miracles and great signs among the people. Amen

Saint Stephen pray for us…

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First reading

Acts 6:8-10,7:54-59 ·

The martyrdom of Stephen

Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him.

    But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’

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Gospel

Matthew 10:17-22

The Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.

    ‘Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.’

Once again how swiftly time flies and we are in the morn of Christmas Eve. Are our hearts are adorned and decorated with stars of humility, kindness, compassion, gentleness, and faithfulness? Is the room we prepared filled with His peace, love and joy? Have we been fruitful for Him in our Advent journey as we prepare to welcome our Lord and King to come dwell in the home of our heart?

Well then may the eternal light of Christ burst forth into the world from the manger of our hearts, as He is born again to live in our hearts forever. Amen

Merry Christmas everyone!

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First reading

2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16 ·

Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me

Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’

    But that very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan:

    ‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’

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Gospel

Luke 1:67-79

‘You, little child, shall be the prophet of the Most High’

John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:

‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel

for he has visited his people, he has come to their rescue

and he has raised up for us a power for salvation

in the House of his servant David,

even as he proclaimed,

by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times,

that he would save us from our enemies

and from the hands of all who hate us.

Thus he shows mercy to our ancestors,

thus he remembers his holy covenant

the oath he swore

to our father Abraham

that he would grant us, free from fear,

to be delivered from the hands of our enemies,

to serve him in holiness and virtue

in his presence, all our days.

And you, little child,

you shall be called Prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord

to prepare the way for him,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins;

this by the tender mercy of our God

who from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us,

to give light to those who live

in darkness and the shadow of death

and to guide our feet

into the way of peace.’

It’s beginning to look like Christmas, everywhere you go…..

So does it look like Christmas, because of the large beautiful adorned trees with glittering lights and the shining star? Or is it the beautifully wrapped gifts? Or the beautiful voices of Carollers singing heartfelt songs which warm the heart? Could it be the lovely nativity sets which bring out to remind us or the large ones in our parishes? Do we have to choose one or the other when it could easily be all the above combined.

Perhaps this year it is beginning to look like Christmas when like minded disciples yearn deeply and then surrender all else to come together to adore and worship Him. It is Christmas when we minister to others in the time that we have, so that darkness is turned into light in their lives. When we bring the peace, love, healing and joy of the Lord into the lives of all those who are thirsting for Him. Perhaps it is Christmas when our lips are opened to praise and testify to the name of Jesus our Emmanuel, so that He can reign in the hearts of those who hear us.  It is Christmas when folks encounter Jesus through us. Amen

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First reading

Malachi 3:1-4,23-24 ·

Before my day comes, I will send you Elijah my prophet

The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and then they will make the offering to the Lord as it should be made. The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will then be welcomed by the Lord as in former days, as in the years of old.

    Know that I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before my day comes, that great and terrible day. He shall turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a curse.

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Gospel

Luke 1:57-66

‘His name is John’

The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy.

    Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

I feel we often take our birth for granted because we think it is just a normal part of life. It is how we procreate and it is just a phase, cycle of life and perhaps just simply a process of our humanity.

How many of us dwell upon it and see that both our birth and those of our children are miracles from God our Heavenly Father? And that through our baptism we have consecrated unto Him, we became His Children through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the author of our life!

Have we grown then in our relationship with our Father such that we know His heart. We know His soft spot for His children especially those who are poor, outcasts, greatly in need of His mercy and love. Do we then seek them out for love of Him to minister to them through the gifts and talents He has given us?

Father I am Your child, let my very being be a testimony of Your Love, through Christ my Lord. Amen

(My reflection four years ago -> https://catholicjules.net/2018/12/22/on-todays-gospel-1869/ )

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First reading

1 Samuel 1:24-28 ·

This is the child I prayed for: he is made over to the Lord.

When Hannah had weaned the infant Samuel, she took him up with her together with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord.’

    There she left him, for the Lord.

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Gospel

Luke 1:46-56

The Almighty has done great things for me

Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

and my spirit exults in God my saviour;

because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.

Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name,

and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

He has shown the power of his arm,

he has routed the proud of heart.

He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy

– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –

of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

Just as we desire to draw close to God our Heavenly, so too He desires and intimate relationship with us. Jesus our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the gateway to Heaven, shall our hearts not leap with joy when He visits us?

Let’s prepare Him room in our hearts to receive Him each day for He is Emmanuel!

O Blessed Mother just as carried Jesus to visit your cousin Elisabeth, intercede for us so that we might receive Him more fully into our hearts and minds. Amen

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First reading

Song of Songs 2:8-14 ·

See how my Beloved comes, leaping on the mountains

I hear my Beloved.

See how he comes

leaping on the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

My Beloved is like a gazelle,

like a young stag.

See where he stands

behind our wall.

He looks in at the window,

he peers through the lattice.

My Beloved lifts up his voice,

he says to me,

‘Come then, my love,

my lovely one, come.

For see, winter is past,

the rains are over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth.

The season of glad songs has come,

the cooing of the turtledove

is heard in our land.

The fig tree is forming its first figs

and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance.

Come then, my love,

my lovely one, come.

My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock,

in the coverts of the cliff,

show me your face,

let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet

and your face is beautiful.’

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Gospel

Luke 1:39-45

Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?

Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’

It took about 700+ years from the prophesy of Isaiah to be fulfilled, when the day came it fell upon a young maiden who’s Yes, “Let what you have said be done to me” which brought about the stirrings of eternal life for us in her womb; for His reign will have no end!

Five more days to Christmas, who shall stand in His holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things. So then are our hearts prepared to receive Him when He come again?

Come Lord Jesus dwell in my heart as You do each and every day. Let me draw ever closer, in full union with You by and through Your love. Let me bring Your presence to all I meet. Amen

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First reading

Isaiah 7:10-14 ·

The maiden is with child

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’

    Then Isaiah said:

‘Listen now, House of David:

are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men

without trying the patience of my God, too?

The Lord himself, therefore,

will give you a sign.

It is this: the maiden is with child

and will soon give birth to a son

whom she will call Immanuel,

a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’

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Gospel

Luke 1:26-38

‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

God our loving Father gives life. And His power and glory is manifested in His chosen ones. Who will turn hearts back to Him and lead them into His kingdom.

We are His chosen ones His sons and daughters called to live out our calling. Empowered to be His Priests, Prophets and Kings to minister to His flock. Are we yet doing so?

Lord Bless and let Your Spirit move us. Amen

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First reading
Judges 13:2-7,24-25 ·
‘You will conceive and bear a son’

There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren, she had borne no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to this woman and said to her, ‘You are barren and have had no child. But from now on take great care. Take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For you will conceive and bear a son. No razor is to touch his head, for the boy shall be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb. It is he who will begin to rescue Israel from the power of the Philistines.’ Then the woman went and told her husband, ‘A man of God has just come to me; his presence was like the presence of the angel of God, he was so majestic. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not reveal his name to me. But he said to me, “You will conceive and bear a son. From now on, take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb to his dying day.”’
The woman gave birth to a son and called him Samson. The child grew, and the Lord blessed him; and the spirit of the Lord began to move him.

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Gospel
Luke 1:5-25
‘Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son’

In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were worthy in the sight of God, and scrupulously observed all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both getting on in years.
Now it was the turn of Zechariah’s section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the ritual custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there. And at the hour of incense the whole congregation was outside, praying.
Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. Even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.’
Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.’ Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had received a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them, and remained dumb.
When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept to herself. ‘The Lord has done this for me’ she said ‘now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.’

Jesus is adopted into the line of David by his father Joseph. The line from which the messiah was promised! Even from the very beginning we see God our Father’s masterpiece in the making. Above all else, race, language, culture even religion we are first and foremost His children so loved by Him.

And as His children we are empowered to lead others who do not yet know Him into the knowledge and an encounter with Him, through His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For we His sons and daughters are already given a Heavenly inheritance. We have everything we need through the Holy Spirit to open the gates of Heaven so that His glory may shine through on His people.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

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First reading

Genesis 49:2,8-10 ·

Until he comes, the sceptre will not pass from Judah

Jacob called his sons and said:

‘Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen;

listen to Israel your father.

Judah, your brothers shall praise you:

you grip your enemies by the neck,

your father’s sons shall do you homage,

Judah is a lion cub,

you climb back, my son, from your kill;

like a lion he crouches and lies down,

or a lioness: who dare rouse him?

The sceptre shall not pass from Judah,

nor the mace from between his feet,

until he come to whom it belongs,

to whom the peoples shall render obedience.’

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Gospel

Matthew 1:1-17

The ancestry of Jesus Christ, the son of David

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,

Perez was the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram was the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,

Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,

Obed was the father of Jesse;

and Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

Joram the father of Azariah,

Azariah was the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah;

and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.

Then the deportation to Babylon took place.

After the deportation to Babylon:

Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor was the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Achim,

Achim the father of Eliud,

Eliud was the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob;

and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary;

of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.

Every now and then it dawns on me just how quicky time flies. And how many of us waste the hours and minutes we have in a day! Even working overtime, days and weeks on end is a waste! For then we live disconnected from the source of life, our vine, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

How many awake with the desire to first be in the presence of our loving Father in Heaven, to listen and be filled with His Word. To then go on eagerly waiting for Him to show us who we can love into His Kingdom today. How each minute and second in a day is precious to be living giving in our words, actions so as to bear fruit for Him.

Instead, many find themselves like the elder son in the parable of the Prodigal son, holding a performance-based mentality. Instead of living as sons and daughters so loved by their Father and ministering out of the wealth and abundance of His Kingdom, they work hard thinking they need to earn His love. They are suspicious and jealous of others and spend their days comparing to see what they have and have not. They curse and swear instead of Bless and Build!

Bless and anoint me afresh Father, so that I may live this and every day in the light of Your Son’s resurrection; to glorify You in all that I say and do. Amen

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First reading

Isaiah 56:1-3,6-8 ·

My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples

Thus says the Lord: Have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon my salvation will come and my integrity be manifest.

    Blessed is the man who does this and the son of man who clings to it: observing the sabbath, not profaning it, and keeping his hand from every evil deed.

    Let no foreigner who has attached himself to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.’ Let no eunuch say, ‘And I, I am a dried-up tree.’

    Foreigners who have attached themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love his name and be his servants – all who observe the sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant – these I will bring to my holy mountain. I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their holocausts and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.

    It is the Lord who speaks, who gathers the outcasts of Israel: there are others I will gather besides those already gathered.

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Gospel

John 5:33-36

‘John was a lamp alight and shining’

Jesus said to the Jews:

‘You sent messengers to John,

and he gave his testimony to the truth:

not that I depend on human testimony;

no, it is for your salvation that I speak of this.

John was a lamp alight and shining

and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave.

But my testimony is greater than John’s:

the works my Father has given me to carry out,

these same works of mine testify

that the Father has sent me.’

Accept the redeeming grace of our Lord Jesus Christ while you still can, turn back your heart fully to Him. For He desires an intimate relationship with you, to turn your dry bones to flesh and give you life to the full!

Yes indeed do not be afraid, you will not be put to shame, do not be dismayed, you will not be disgraced. I did forsake you for a brief moment, but with great love will I take you back. My love for you will never leave you and my covenant of peace with you will never be shaken, says the Lord.

He will wash us clean and make us white as snow, then we shall become messengers of His love, to turn hearts back to Him just as St John the Baptist did. Amen

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First reading

Isaiah 54:1-10 ·

With great love I will take you back

Shout for joy, you barren women who bore no children!

Break into cries of joy and gladness, you who were never in labour!

For the sons of the forsaken one are more in number

than the sons of the wedded wife, says the Lord.

Widen the space of your tent,

stretch out your hangings freely,

lengthen your ropes, make your pegs firm;

for you will burst out to right and to left.

Your race will take possession of the nations,

and people the abandoned cities.

Do not be afraid, you will not be put to shame,

do not be dismayed, you will not be disgraced;

for you will forget the shame of your youth

and no longer remember the curse of your widowhood.

For now your creator will be your husband,

his name, the Lord of Hosts;

your redeemer will be the Holy One of Israel,

he is called the God of the whole earth.

Yes, like a forsaken wife, distressed in spirit,

the Lord calls you back.

Does a man cast off the wife of his youth?

says your God.

I did forsake you for a brief moment,

but with great love will I take you back.

In excess of anger, for a moment

I hid my face from you.

But with everlasting love I have taken pity on you,

says the Lord, your redeemer.

I am now as I was in the days of Noah

when I swore that Noah’s waters

should never flood the world again.

So now I swear concerning my anger with you

and the threats I made against you;

for the mountains may depart,

the hills be shaken,

but my love for you will never leave you

and my covenant of peace with you will never be shaken,

says the Lord who takes pity on you.

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Gospel

Luke 7:24-30

‘A prophet, and much more than a prophet’

When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to talk to the people about John. ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Oh no, those who go in for fine clothes and live luxuriously are to be found at court! Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:

See, I am going to send my messenger before you;

he will prepare the way before you.

‘I tell you, of all the children born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is. All the people who heard him, and the tax collectors too, acknowledged God’s plan by accepting baptism from John; but by refusing baptism from him the Pharisees and the lawyers had thwarted what God had in mind for them.’

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Jn 3:17 His very name means to deliver; to rescue. And so accompanying the Good News the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life!

Blessed are we who do not lose faith in Him. For in all our struggles and challenges to carry our cross to follow after Him, He is with us. Likewise signs and wonders will accompany us as we bring the Good News to others. For we carry His presence with us, as we minister through His mercy, peace, love, joy and healing grace.

And so all shall know Him by our love. Amen

Saint John of the Cross Pray for us… 

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First reading

Isaiah 45:6-8,18,21-25

I, the Lord, shall create deliverance

Apart from me, all is nothing.

I am the Lord, unrivalled,

I form the light and create the dark.

I make good fortune and create calamity,

it is I, the Lord, who do all this.

Send victory like a dew, you heavens,

and let the clouds rain it down.

Let the earth open

for salvation to spring up.

Let deliverance, too, bud forth

which I, the Lord, shall create.

Yes, thus says the Lord,

creator of the heavens,

who is God,

who formed the earth and made it,

who set it firm,

created it no chaos,

but a place to be lived in:

    ‘I am the Lord, unrivalled:

    there is no other god besides me.

    A God of integrity and a saviour:

    there is none apart from me.

    Turn to me and be saved,

    all the ends of the earth,

    for I am God unrivalled.

    ‘By my own self I swear it;

    what comes from my mouth is truth,

    a word irrevocable:

    before me every knee shall bend,

    by me every tongue shall swear,

    saying, “From the Lord alone

    come victory and strength.”

    To him shall come, ashamed,

    all who raged against him.

    Victorious and glorious through the Lord shall be

    all the descendants of Israel.’

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Gospel

Luke 7:19-23

‘Are you the one who is to come?’

John, summoning two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or must we wait for someone else?’ When the men reached Jesus they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you, to ask, “Are you the one who is to come or have we to wait for someone else?”’ It was just then that he cured many people of diseases and afflictions and of evil spirits, and gave the gift of sight to many who were blind. Then he gave the messengers their answer, ‘Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’

You know we give excuse after excuse on why we fall into habitual sins or even new ones. “We are only human” “She or he made me so upset that is why” “I am the way I am” and so on….

Is our loving Father ‘out of sight, out of mind’ to you?

For if you are in a deep, personal relationship with Him, then You know He is always present. And His loving presence is what you desire most all of the time. Your fear of God is not because of what He might do, but rather you fear offending, hurting Him whom you love dearly. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

Let our love for Him always be our Yes put into action according to His Will for us.   Especially in moments or times when we are reluctant to do so. Perhaps out of some fear or feeling of inadequateness. For He knows the plans He has for us, to prosper not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. Jer 29:11 Amen

Saint Lucy pray for us…

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First reading

Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13

All peoples shall invoke the Lord’s name and serve him

Trouble is coming to the rebellious, the defiled,

the tyrannical city!

She would never listen to the call,

would never learn the lesson;

she has never trusted in the Lord,

never drawn near to her God.

Yes, I will then give the peoples lips that are clean,

so that all may invoke the name of the Lord

and serve him under the same yoke.

From beyond the banks of the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants

will bring me offerings.

When that day comes

you need feel no shame for all the misdeeds

you have committed against me,

for I will remove your proud boasters

from your midst;

and you will cease to strut

on my holy mountain.

In your midst I will leave

a humble and lowly people,

and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.

They will do no wrong,

will tell no lies;

and the perjured tongue will no longer

be found in their mouths.

But they will be able to graze and rest

with no one to disturb them.

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Gospel

Matthew 21:28-32

Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go,” but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.’

If we truly believe that Jesus is our Lord of lord, King of kings then do we not come under His authority?  For Jesus had said in Matt 28:18-19 that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We have been given the authority to open the hearts of men, women and children through the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and lead them back to our Heavenly Father. Through healing, prophesy, casting out of demons and His Word.

How can we then not look upon them with the heart of our Heavenly Father? We therefore would never think to lord our authority over those entrusted to us, but be examples to the flock. 1 Pet 5:3

Come, O Lord, visit us in peace, that we may rejoice before you with a blameless heart. Lord, make us know your ways. Amen

Our Lady of Guadalupe pray for us…

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First reading

Numbers 24:2-7,15-17 ·

The oracles of Balaam

Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed his poem. He said:

‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,

the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,

the oracle of one who hears the word of God.

He sees what Shaddai makes him see,

receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.

How fair are your tents, O Jacob!

How fair your dwellings, Israel!

Like valleys that stretch afar,

like gardens by the banks of a river,

like aloes planted by the Lord,

like cedars beside the waters!

A hero arises from their stock,

he reigns over countless peoples.

His king is greater than Agag,

his majesty is exalted.’

Then Balaam declaimed his poem again. He said:

‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,

the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,

the oracle of one who hears the word of God,

of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High.

He sees what Shaddai makes him see,

receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.

I see him – but not in the present,

I behold him – but not close at hand:

a star from Jacob takes the leadership,

a sceptre arises from Israel.’

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Gospel

Matthew 21:23-27

‘I will not tell you my authority for acting like this’

Jesus had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’

Who and where are the Elijahs and John Baptists of today? Do they no longer exist in the world we live in today?

Well sisters and brothers if we know and understand our calling then we are the ones sent to turn the hearts of fathers and mothers toward their children and restore families, tribes, nations through Jesus Christ our Lord and lead them all to the Kingdom of God.

We are the forerunners to prepare for the second coming of our Lord. We have been baptised with the Holy Spirit and given power to heal, cast our demons, to bring His peace and love into the hearts of all so that they can encounter Jesus through us.

Bless and anoint me, Father that I may continue to live out by calling according to Your Will. Amen

Our Lady of Loreto pray for us…

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First reading

Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4,9-12

The prophet Elijah will come again

The prophet Elijah arose like a fire,

    his word flaring like a torch.

It was he who brought famine on the people,

    and who decimated them in his zeal.

By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens,

    he also, three times, brought down fire.

How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah!

    Has anyone reason to boast as you have?

Taken up in the whirlwind of fire,

    in a chariot with fiery horses;

designated in the prophecies of doom

    to allay God’s wrath before the fury breaks,

to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children,

    and to restore the tribes of Jacob,

Happy shall they be who see you,

    and those who have fallen asleep in love.

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Gospel

Matthew 17:10-13

Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him

As they came down from the mountain the disciples put this question to Jesus, ‘Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?’ ‘True;’ he replied ‘Elijah is to come to see that everything is once more as it should be; however, I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him but treated him as they pleased; and the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.’ The disciples understood then that he had been speaking of John the Baptist.

If we truly want to be happy then it is as simple as this, that we remain steadfast and faithful to the Gospel that is to the Word and Will of God our Heavenly Father.

And we should resist and abstain from those who have negative influence over us. Who encourages to sin and to be tempted by the ways of the world! This is not to say that we do not sit with sinners but rather if we cannot influence them to draw close to the Lord and follow His commands then we should not be the ones to fall under their influence.

Stay Awake! That is our call at the start of Advent, we are already quickly drawing close to the start of the 3rd Week this Gaudete Sunday where we rejoice a little in hope of His 2nd coming.

Thank You Jesus for loving us, for having already come into the world so that we can live free in Your light. Help us draw ever closer to You this Advent so that our happiness will be like a river this Christmas! Amen

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First reading

Isaiah 48:17-19 ·

If you had been alert to my commandments, your happiness would have been like a river

Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is good for you,

I lead you in the way that you must go.

If only you had been alert to my commandments,

your happiness would have been like a river,

your integrity like the waves of the sea.

Your children would have been numbered like the sand,

your descendants as many as its grains.

Never would your name have been cut off or blotted out before me.

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Gospel

Matthew 11:16-19

They heed neither John nor the Son of Man

Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘What description can I find for this generation? It is like children shouting to each other as they sit in the market place:

“We played the pipes for you,

and you wouldn’t dance;

we sang dirges,

and you wouldn’t be mourners.”

‘For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He is possessed.” The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet wisdom has been proved right by her actions.’

After John 3:16 this bible verse is one of the most popular for Christians…

Matt 11:18-30 Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

It is not only comforting to read, to dwell on, but it is a promise from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Indeed He gives strength to the wearied, he strengthens the powerless. For those who hope in the Lord renew their strength.

I am sure you already know this but here are some of the sure ways You will encounter the Lord and be renewed…

• Community prayer meetings
• Quiet time with the Lord through prayer, worship and reading the Word.
• Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
• Holy Mass
• Healing services

Be still and know that I am God says the Lord. Amen

Ps 46:10

Saint Ambrose pray for us…
 

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First reading

Isaiah 40:25-31 ·

The Lord strengthens the powerless

‘To whom could you liken me

and who could be my equal?’ says the Holy One.

Lift your eyes and look.

Who made these stars

if not he who drills them like an army,

calling each one by name?

So mighty is his power, so great his strength,

that not one fails to answer.

How can you say, Jacob,

how can you insist, Israel,

‘My destiny is hidden from the Lord,

my rights are ignored by my God’?

Did you not know?

Had you not heard?

The Lord is an everlasting God,

he created the boundaries of the earth.

He does not grow tired or weary,

his understanding is beyond fathoming.

He gives strength to the wearied,

he strengthens the powerless.

Young men may grow tired and weary,

youths may stumble,

but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength,

they put out wings like eagles.

They run and do not grow weary,

walk and never tire.

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Gospel

Matthew 11:28-30

My yoke is easy and my burden light

Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

Let us no longer look within ourselves and dwell to see if we are, but instead declare with all our hearts that we are joyful messengers of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

The world has seen a new light for He had come to dispel the darkness of our lives and therefore we rejoice as we proclaim His glory. We look forward each and every time for our community prayer meetings so we can praise, worship and listen to His Word as One Body in Him.

We then go out with joy in our hearts to search out the lost sheep and lead them home to Him who had anointed and sent us His shepherds.

Glory and Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ, for He is our Shepherd there is nothing we shall want. Amen

Saint Nicholas, Bishop pray for us…

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First reading

Isaiah 40:1-11

Consolations from the heart of Jerusalem

‘Console my people, console them’

says your God.

‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem

and call to her

that her time of service is ended,

that her sin is atoned for,

that she has received from the hand of the Lord

double punishment for all her crimes.’

A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wilderness

a way for the Lord.

Make a straight highway for our God

across the desert.

Let every valley be filled in,

every mountain and hill be laid low.

Let every cliff become a plain,

and the ridges a valley;

then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed

and all mankind shall see it;

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

A voice commands, ‘Cry!’

and I answered, ‘What shall I cry?’”

– ‘All flesh is grass

and its beauty like the wild flower’s.

The grass withers, the flower fades

when the breath of the Lord blows on them.

(The grass is without doubt the people.)

The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God remains for ever.’

Go up on a high mountain,

joyful messenger to Zion.

Shout with a loud voice,

joyful messenger to Jerusalem.

Shout without fear,

say to the towns of Judah,

‘Here is your God.’

Here is the Lord coming with power,

his arm subduing all things to him.

The prize of his victory is with him,

his trophies all go before him.

He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,

gathering lambs in his arms,

holding them against his breast

and leading to their rest the mother ewes.

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Gospel

Matthew 18:12-14

The one lost sheep gives him more joy than the ninety-nine that did not stray

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’

How can we not rejoice when our Lord in His mercy forgives and liberates the burden of sin from our hearts! For only then can we truly praise and worship Him as we should. Only then are our hearts set free to love others as we should.

Hence sisters and brothers Jesus came for this very reason, for God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. So why wait for a penitential service, go now as soon as possible for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and meet with Jesus who is patiently waiting to love and set you free. Courage! Do not be afraid, He has come to save you.

Then together as One with and in Him we will rejoice and sing for joy! Joy and gladness will follow us wherever we go, sorrow and lament will be ended. Amen

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First reading

Isaiah 35:1-10 ·

The return of the redeemed through the desert

Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult,

let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,

let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,

let it rejoice and sing for joy.

The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it,

the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;

they shall see the glory of the Lord,

the splendour of our God.

Strengthen all weary hands,

steady all trembling knees

and say to all faint hearts,

‘Courage! Do not be afraid.

‘Look, your God is coming,

vengeance is coming,

the retribution of God;

he is coming to save you.’

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

the ears of the deaf unsealed,

then the lame shall leap like a deer

and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy;

for water gushes in the desert,

streams in the wasteland,

the scorched earth becomes a lake,

the parched land springs of water.

The lairs where the jackals used to live

become thickets of reed and papyrus…

And through it will run a highway undefiled

which shall be called the Sacred Way;

the unclean may not travel by it,

nor fools stray along it.

No lion will be there

nor any fierce beast roam about it,

but the redeemed will walk there,

for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.

They will come to Zion shouting for joy,

everlasting joy on their faces;

joy and gladness will go with them

and sorrow and lament be ended.

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Gospel

Luke 5:17-26

‘Your sins are forgiven you: get up and walk’

Jesus was teaching one day, and among the audience there were Pharisees and doctors of the Law who had come from every village in Galilee, from Judaea and from Jerusalem. And the Power of the Lord was behind his works of healing. Then some men appeared, carrying on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him. But as the crowd made it impossible to find a way of getting him in, they went up on to the flat roof and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith he said, ‘My friend, your sins are forgiven you.’ The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. ‘Who is this man talking blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, made them this reply, ‘What are these thoughts you have in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven you” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralysed man – ‘I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.’ And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

    They were all astounded and praised God, and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’

The houses so far unearthed at Capernaum are tiny enclosures, built of stone, huddled higgledy-piggledy together in the warm lakeside village. As the crowd was blocking the door Mark says that the sick man’s companions simply dug a hole in the roof, presumably thin slats of timber and palm-leaves, designed to keep off the sun rather than the rare rain. Luke, coming from a more sophisticated society, thinks of roof tiles to be taken off.

    The striking part of the healing is not the physical cure but the forgiveness of sins inserted in the middle of the story. In the Gospels ‘paralytic’ means not someone cramped immobile into a distorted position, but only someone bed-ridden. The physical healing is merely the proof-by-parallel that the sins have been forgiven. This is what shocks the on-looking Pharisees and especially their legal members, the ‘scribes’, who were literate and so could read the Law and discuss it. Quite apart from the Law, it stands to reason that only God can forgive sin. Indeed, to forgive is almost God’s chief prerogative. The meaning of his sacred Name, too holy and too intimate to be pronounced, had been revealed to Moses in Exodus 34 as ‘God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in faithful love and constancy, forgiving fault, crime and sin.’ They knew their Bible, and to see the man standing before them claim to do just this must have been stunning. The Gospel has already shown Jesus acting with outstanding authority, but now he implies a claim to an authority specifically divine. He forgives sin with just the same sweeping authority with which he tells the man to pick up his sleeping-mat.

Today as we move towards the second week of Advent let us reflect and put into action our resolve to live as disciples of our Lord.

There are many sheep without a shepherd crying out in distress, do we hear them with God our Father’s heart?

Or are we still concerned with our worldly affairs, constantly fighting our inner demons of habitual sin and making no headway! Why?  Because in our struggle against sin we have not yet resisted to the point of shedding our blood. (Hebrews 12:4) For had we done so and turned our hearts fully to our Lord, then we will already be living fully in His light!

We would already be out there proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. We would be healing the sick, even raising the dead, and casting out devils in Jesus’s name.

Anoint me Lord and send me! I am Yours. Amen

Saint Francis Xavier Pray for us… 

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First reading

Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26 ·

The Lord God will be gracious to you and hear your cry

Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:

    People of Zion, you will live in Jerusalem and weep no more. He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry; when he hears he will answer. When the Lord has given you the bread of suffering and the water of distress, he who is your teacher will hide no longer, and you will see your teacher with your own eyes. Whether you turn to right or left, your ears will hear these words behind you, ‘This is the way, follow it.’ He will send rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the bread that the ground provides will be rich and nourishing. Your cattle will graze, that day, in wide pastures. Oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat a salted fodder, winnowed with shovel and fork. On every lofty mountain, on every high hill there will be streams and watercourses, on the day of the great slaughter when the strongholds fall. Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight and sunlight itself be seven times brighter – like the light of seven days in one – on the day the Lord dresses the wound of his people and heals the bruises his blows have left.

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Gospel

Matthew 9:35-10:1,5,6-8

The harvest is rich but the labourers are few

Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.

    And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

    He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’

We may not be physically blind but many of us are spiritually blind! Blind to the wonders of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Blind to the miracles and wonders He performs through His disciples this very day. Blind to His light that shines through in our lives revealing all that is hidden. Blind to the plight of our sisters and brothers in need of kindness, mercy, healing, peace and love.

Yes Lord we believe You can heal us, open the eyes of our hearts Lord so that we may see Your glory! That we may see what Your heart holds for us, and how we must love our brethren the way we ought to. Your will be done now and forever in our lives. Amen

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First reading

Isaiah 29:17-24 ·

In a very short time, the deaf will hear and the eyes of the blind will see

The Lord says this:

In a short time, a very short time,

shall not Lebanon become fertile land

and fertile land turn into forest?

The deaf, that day,

will hear the words of a book

and, after shadow and darkness,

the eyes of the blind will see.

But the lowly will rejoice in the Lord even more

and the poorest exult in the Holy One of Israel;

for tyrants shall be no more, and scoffers vanish,

and all be destroyed who are disposed to do evil:

those who gossip to incriminate others,

those who try at the gate to trip the arbitrator

and get the upright man’s case dismissed for groundless reasons.

Therefore the Lord speaks,

the God of the House of Jacob,

Abraham’s redeemer:

No longer shall Jacob be ashamed,

no more shall his face grow pale,

for he shall see what my hands have done in his midst,

he shall hold my name holy.

They will hallow the Holy One of Jacob,

stand in awe of the God of Israel.

Erring spirits will learn wisdom

and murmurers accept instruction.

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Gospel

Matthew 9:27-31

‘Take care that no-one learns about this’

As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.’ Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this.’ But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside.

Time after time we have made promises to do better, to resist sin and temptations. To grow in holiness and to be faithful! And so let us dwell a little on the progress we have made.

Are we eager each morn to sit in the presence of our Lord to listen His Word and will for us? Are we ecstatic to go out each day seeking someone to love into His Kingdom. Do we pray each day desiring more and more of the spiritual gifts so as to build up His Church, our Lord’s Kingdom. Nothing fazes us for we know our Lord is with us every step of the way!

Or are we still thrown into a frenzy when challenges and obstacles come our way? Are we one of many who calls on the Lord only in times of difficulty? Are our prayers only devotional? Do we meetup only for fellowship but do nothing to testify to our Lord’s goodness in our lives? Are we silent when we should be speaking up for Him? Is our praise and worship of Him only lip service?

Jesus You are my Rock! Here I am Lord, I come to do Your Will! Amen

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First reading

Isaiah 26:1-6 ·

Open the gates; let the upright nation come in

That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;

to guard us he has set

wall and rampart about us.

Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in,

she, the faithful one

whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace,

because she trusts in you.

Trust in the Lord for ever,

for the Lord is the everlasting Rock;

he has brought low those who lived high up

in the steep citadel;

he brings it down, brings it down to the ground,

flings it down in the dust:

the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor

trample on it.

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Gospel

Matthew 7:21,24-27

The wise man built his house on a rock

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’